Stereotype-plate casting and finishing mechanism.



H. A. W. Woon. STEREOTYPE PLATE CASTING AND PINISEING MEGHANISM.

APPLICATION F'ILED MAR. 4, 1898. RENBWED AUG. 2, 1910.

Patented Mar. 7, 1911.

l SHEETS-SHEET 1.

H. A. W. WQOD. STEREOTY-PE LATE CASTING AND PINISHING .MEGHANISM APPLIOATI-ON FILED MAB; 4, 1898. RNEWED AUG 2, 1910.

Patented Mar; 7, 1'91 1.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

E. A. W. WOOD.

STEREOTYPE PLATE CASTING AND PINISHING MECHANISM. APPLI'OATION FILED MAB. 4, 1898. BENEWED AUG. 2, 1910. 985 ,874, Patented Mar. '7, 1911.

4 SHEETS-@HEBT s.

,Wi-Arles Inverntor. fCWWOOa Attorneys H. A. W. WOOD.

STBREOTYPE PLATE CASTING AANI) FINISHING4 MEGHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 4, 1898. BBNBWBD AUG..2, 1910,.

Patented Mar.`7,1911.

'f .ing -at New York, in the county4 of New.

. UNITED srATis PATIENT* OFFICE.

HENRY A. WIsE Woon, or NRW YORK, N. Y., AssIGNoR To QAMPBRLL PRINTING IRnss & MANUFACTURING COMPANY, or NRW YORK. N. A CORPORATION or NRW -YoRIc sTERRo-'IYPn-PLATR CASTING ANI)A FINISHING- IviEc'HANIsIvI.y

Be it known that"l I, IINRY A. VIsn Woon, a Citizenof theUn1te d`-States, resid- York, and; State of vNew York, have invented anew and 'useful Stereotype-Plate Casting' and Finishing li/Iechanism', of which the fell lowing is aspecification;A y

The aim of this invention is 'to improve ,or further.v carry out thev invention. shown,

. described and'claimed in patent grantedl to plate casting and finishing machine adapt by properlyspeeding' the parts I so', com

Ime February 17, 1903, No. 721,117, for an automatic stereotype plate casting and finishing machine. In said. patent, -I show, describe and claim an automatic .stereotype ed to automatically'cast and automatically finish stereotype printing plates. In, said' machine, one plate iscast at a time. 20l

The principal improvement described and claimed in this application is a 'stereotype plate casting machine in which-twoV o1, more' plates aresiinultalieously cast-.e preferably arrange this mechanism -tofwork autof maticall'y, and arrange in combination therewith a'plate finishing mechanism,`and

bine these devices, thata 'finishing niechaf "nism c-apacitated to act 'on' .a single .plate may be usedA and kept practically in conetantv operation. In other words, the two plates *are cast at one operation by the casting mechanism, -and the vfinishing mechamsm 1s geared-to operate' twicefor each' r casting operation, and conveying means are provided for .carrying one plate and then '.the'other plate through thefinishing mechanism'. t The device shown 1n the accompanying three sheets-of drawings'illustrates the best form vof 'machine now known tome for car rying out the" ferring tojwhich,

Figure -1 is a central sectional eleva-tion of the complete dev1ce,"I4`ig. 21s a plan .New of the 'same, F1g. 3 1s' an end sectional View throughfthe casting mechanism, Fig. ,4 isj'a c perspectiveview of the matrix-Carr' mg,v

'5 1s a. detail viewof one o the rams, Fig-. is a sectional elevation through a part l termthejfaroh., Figs. 7 and 8 arc de-v tail yiewsjofjthe'mechanism employed for sneciacationvof'LeaersPatent. lAp'iica'non'inea,March 4, 1s9s seria1 Namaste 'eacli casting operation,

principleof' my invention, 're1 --creasfng the size of the casting and not the sizeornparts of the finishing Patented Mar. 7, 1911. Renewed August 2, 1910. Serial No. 575,181.

Y I turning Aand locking the casting core or cylinder, and Fig. 9 is an end view of the casting mechanism.

` The casting mechanism proper consists of a core and a back, witli means for holding two or more matrices in position in the cast- .ingbox thus formed, so that two or more plates will be cast at one casting operation. The core and back are made of a length equal to the width of a stereotype printing .plate multiplied by the number of plates to be cast ateach operation. The machine specifically illustrated is adapted to cast two platesvat each operation, and hence, the core and back are made of a length substantiallyv equal to twice the width of the plate. This form of machine will now be specifically described. To make the two plates, I

*provide a separating strip which divides the'mold into two cavities. I also provide` mechanism for operating the anis'm. The means for of'matrices is preferably arranged so that the 1matrices will be held `upon the same sidev of the axisof the box. In combination 'therewith I also preferably arrange a vplatefinishing mechanism operating twice for and a conveying mechanism operating twice for each casting operation, and passing one plate at a time through the finishing mechanism.

The practical speed at which a`device of this character can be run is that speed at which the plates can be cast.

casting. meching a cooling operation, the time here emp loyedis practically a constant. To get a larger production from a machine of this class, I therefore arrange the parts as beffore described, as I have' found I can trim and'finish the plates at a much higher speed than I vc'arr cast .the same. Therefore, by

. casting simultaneously a plurality of plates Ican increase the productionby mechanism.

Referring to the drawings Vand in detail,

' A represents a suitable framing in which are journaled three shafts 30, '3 1 and 76, a clutchA being arranged to conne`-t the shaft '31,#9 ,the shaft 30 when'desred. and vthejshaft .'Ti

holding a plurality y As this nec' essarily involves several operations, Includonly-inmechanism,-

I oo

. being geared'to turn with the shaft 30 by f means of gears 77 and 78. At the rear side of the machine, I arrai'ige a melting pot or i tank G, and in this tank, lV arrange a pump- 5' ing mechanism consisting, as shown.I of, four pumps H, for forcing` the molten metal through a suitable spout Q4 into the casting chamber. A suitable limiting device as a gas-pipe or gaspipes f/ with various burners, i"s arrai'iged under the meltingpot, and

also under the spout so as to lceep the metal in. the ii'ieltiiig"-i 'iot; and channel in a molten condition. '4

The pumps are operated vtroni the shaft 3l by the following gearing:AA- .lii'iangetil on the .shaft f'll. a bevebgear tit, which meshes with and drives a bevel-gear 37 secured npoii ay shaft 38' on the outer -end of wliieh is -mounted a bevel-gear which drives a,

Uil,

bevel-gear 40 seeiiredV upon-the shaftI 4Q., on

which shaft is mounted a 4eani which cam actiiates a `rod or link 4 4, whit-,li eonneets to a yoke 50 mounted on the rock-shaft 53. This rook-shaft ,53 is thus oseillated, and the saine carries suitable eranloarins or levers 541, wliirh connect to the pi|nippi.stons as 'showii and deseriliei'l more particularly in said prior patent.' li' this ronnection. one charge of iiioltennietal will be forced into the casting-Chamber for at'li revolution of the shaft 31, the gearing being properly proportioned to eifect 'this result.

rl.`he casting Chamber is formed by a ycore feonsisting preferabl)Y of part of a cylinder B, a bark which consists preferably of two iivoted see'ments or iieees (l and l). and

two end rims or pieces E and El. rThe ments or pieces C and D carry the matrices, as hereafter described. These segments C 40. and D are mounted or piroted npoii shaft G0, which is plaeed in slots ent in the dvtraniing, and on this shaft; G0 are rolls (33 whieh bear on Canis (3.4-, mounted on the shaft 3l. -The, segn'ient C' is provided with an arm (S5,

115 which rarries a. roll (StL-which bears on a Cani 67t mounted on the ,shaftv 3l near the outer ,end of the Casting-hoi:` and the seg- -nientl) is provided with a .similar arin (S5,

which carries a roll Gti. whieh bears on another Cain 'lmounted on the shaft' ill near the inner end of the eastingd'iox. This'op lerati'ng nieehanisin is so arranged that diiringitbe casting operatioii tlie segments will .supporti and bring the iiiatriees in position i' 55v Close up to the periphery of the cylinder lt,-

S0 that, as the molten metal is foi-eed into the casting-chamber. a plate of the desired ,thickness willbe east.

A separating piece or partition Qtltl is ai (50i-tinged in the casting chamber so that. the

two-plates will be east as separate pieces, the molten metal coming from the pump being' 'divided in its course into the two casting chambers separated. by the .strip 20G. 4This separating ,piece consists of an inwardly ferred to.

flared half ring which is supported at one end on the spout 24, and which is hung at rin-ed in suitable handles or bars ttm-Jl",

which bars F-lt are slid into sockets or se- 'cnred inany desired way to the ends of the segments C and I).

The matrices mayT have suitable steel bands as m m, for holding them in a sprung' position, as shown,

ll gei'ieralh7 arrange the rim lil rigidly, or with spring-relief in the framing, and l -operate the riin lillt'o vrelieve the end-of the .left-hand plate by Athe means partieiilaily shown and `i'leseribed in said prior patent,

although in sinne eases, Yl contemplate operating bothl rims: lint for niosl purposes. liv.

relieving one ond rini. there will be siillitient, ttlearanie to allow the rore to tiii'ii to earry l'ioth pla-tes from the easting elianiliei'. 'llie n'ieehanisi'n for operating the leftliand riin El is driven from the shaft', 7G, as shown in said prior patent. A suitable eranlearin is 'joni'naled on a suitable shaft in position to engage said rim El. This sha ftv has another eranlC-arn'i eonnertedto which is a sliding rod 7l, earrying a roll at the end thereof, bearing on'a face-cani T5 mounted on the shaft 76. this inechai'iism beine' sotimed that the rin'i El. will be properly aetnated.

y(hit in the cylinder l are a ii'iiinber of' grooves which will form the working orfin ishing` ribs on the inside of the plates, and t which will also forni a means to help the movement of the plates from the casting elianiber.

'By the above meelianisn'i, the casting operation will take plaee verv apidly Then the casting box is closed, the inolten metal' will be foreediii to the double rusting chainllti ber b v the pumps. lVhen the plates are siitlleiontly cooled. the seginentswill inove away` from the periphery of theplu'tes, and the ends of the saine will .simultaneously morel ,outwardly to accurately ai'idnicelvstri .i or

unwind the matrices fiomthe surface o4 the east plates. The riin'Fi,l will bes lightlyr moved aii'arrifrom the edge of the left hand lplate. lVhen the castingbox is opened in this manner, the separating .strip lQ00 will have considerable spring. By this construetion the core ean be rotated to turn to deliver che two east plates from the casting hainier.

l preferably iisea cooling nieeha'iiisni lo I the cylinder B to form a Siphon.

Y' the. same out of the easting-box; rl'he of the shaft 7.6, the

@east/e immediately cool the plates after the same are cast. This cooling mechanism consists of L supply pipe 118, which is connected to any suitable' source of supply, and which projectsl through I one of the journals into the .cylinder B. A n outlet pipe 119 isMi-anged to pass through the other journal `of the cylinder B. The inlet vvpipe is perforated so as to direct the jets of Water on to the inner periphery of the cylinder, andthe outlet pipe vv119 is carried down to nearfthe lower part of .An operating cam 12() is arranged on-the e'd'f'thc 'f shaft 31, .engaging which is a bell-crank lever' 122, which lconnects by means of rod 123 to .inletvalve-'125 and 'an outlet valve 124', this mechanism being so timed, thatfso `soon. asthe plates are cast, the-v infetvlve closed. Thisvvill spray water on or flood the lowersurface of the cylinder so that the periphery of the cylinder which carries the cast 'plates will be'cooled. As the cylinder- B is filled with Water', the air contained therein, andthe steam if any is generated, will place the .Water under more or less pressure. Whenenoug'h water has been lct into the -,cylinder to cool the plate, the valve 125 is closed, and the valve 124 is opened by the cam ;phon will rapidly draw the water from the interior of the cylinder.

the cylinder B is turned or rotated to carry plates will firmly adhere to the periphery yof the cylinder by means vof the grooves, so that, as' thecylinder is turned, the plates will turn with the same.

The mechanism for rotating the cylinder is driven from the shaft 7G and may be arranged as follows 1-A crank 8O mounted on the end of the shaft 7G, and connects b v rod 81 to a sector S2, pivoted on a suitable stud, whereby said sector vwill be vibrated The'sector meshes with a gear 8l, which is loosely mounted on the hub of the cylinder' D, and turning with this gear is a ratchetplatc 87, which has two teeth cut therein. as

'shown in Fie. 7. RiOidlv secured to turn with the cylinder B. is a pawl-arin t9. which carries the. s])ring-actuated pawl 93, with 'which the teeth of the ratchet-plate may engage. 'By vthis means, forevery ywqnlion. cylinder B will be given' half a revolution.' .'.It will be seen that the cylinder will remain stationary or substantially so during one-half of .a revolution' `of the shaft 7G, and will be turned during f t-heother half lrevolution` of the shaft. 76. L

I preferably use a locking mechanism conisting of a plate 85 mounted on' formed Will be opened and the outlet valve will bev 120 acting through the bell-crank lever 122v After the plates are vcast, in this manner,"

detached from thefperiphery of the cylinder byl means' of lifters L and L1, the lifter L being mounted on the rock-shaftlll and the lifter L1 onjthe s h aft"105. J The two vshafts are connected to oscillate loppositely by .the cylinder, the same are lifted or forcibly means of any `suitable Aconnections as '106,

connected to arlns extending up from said shaft and theshaft 105 may be properlyi operated by the following` iieclianismz--A vrod'lOOhas a roller setf'to engagea cam 103 mounted'on theshaft-i, andthis rod connects to a crank-m1111104'mounted on the end of the shaft 105, this mechanism being shown and described more .particularly in my prior patent. After vthe plates are Alifted from the periphery of theeylinder B in this manner, they are shifted from the lifters L and L1 on to skids or ways'S, S by the following Vmechanismz-Mounted vin a guide-way 128 is a traveler or conveyer at the end thereof, and 146 and 1460,

V, whichhas a lip .a two gravity pawls and this traveler may be reciprocated by the followinggearing from the shaft 30: A bevel gear 129 is mounted on said shaft 30, and meshes with and engages a bevel-pinion 130 secured upon a short, transverse shaft.v The gear 129 is made twice thelsize of the pinion 130. On the end of this short, transverse shaft is mounted a crank a crank-rod 132, the free 4end of which passes through a yoke 133 journaled on the end of a shaft. 134. rlhe rod 132 is formed with a rack 135 at its upper end, `which meshes with a pinion 13G secured upon said shaft, 131, On the other end of said shaft 131i4 is ar-v ranged a gear 137 which meshes with a-'rack 138 formed on the back of the traveler V.

By this mechanism, the traveler V will be'given two reciprocations for each rotation of the shaft 30. The first movement to the left (Fig. 1) of the traveler' Vwill carry the left-hand plate' into term the arch, and bring the right-hand plate to a position between said arch and the cylinder B, and the nex-t movement to the left of the traveler V will carry the righthand plate into the arch, and "move the lcfthand plate out on' toa horse or `delivery guide-way H2, the pawls 146 and 146() being properly arranged for this purpose.

Ast-he plates are moved S, Sfrom the-casting mechanism,I into the arch` the front'or rough edge of the same 'will betrimmed or sawedA off -by a cutter 147 set in proper posit-'ion to do this. 1 f v Then the plates passfinto thearchthe' same are supported by a stationary way Sl and a clamping jaw S2, Whichis moved up- 131, connected to which is apart I hereafter l along the skids wardly to tightlyciamp the plate in the arch. lVhen in this clamped position, the

- inn er surface of the plate is trued out by the knife R. rllhis knife R is mounted upon a shaft'lt, and is driven from the shaft 30 by means of gear 157, intermediate 158, and pinion100, the pinion 160 being half the size of the gear 157, so that the knife lt makes ltwo turns for each revolution of the shaft 30. ly proi-*iding this cutter R, as shown in my patent referred to, with small projections, the ends of the plates may be 'lrued oil", but as these ends are generally ac.-

f curalely east by means of the rims E, E and the separating' piece Q00. l generally omit this operation. So soon as the plate is trued out. the clamping' mechanism will release the plate. and, at the next movement of the trareler V, the gravity pawl 140 will more 'the plate out of the arch on to the horse' H,

and, as successive plates are completed and leli\'ered. they will be pushed out on the The mechanism for actuating` the clampinfr jaw S2 consists of arcani 141 mounted on the shaft. 30. This cam has ytwo high places and two low places. as shown iu Fig. 5, so that the clamp will be actuated twice for each rotation of the shaft 30. 140 designates a yoke. which carries a roller l-'ll0, which y bears onl said cam. which may be either an open or 'face-cam. This yoke 110 connects by an oi'ieralinp rod 139 to a crank-arm 1li), mounted on a rock-shaft 14S, which rock shaft. has small arms engaging the'clamping `iaw S2. as shown in Fig. 6. A plate l is shown in position in the arch in said Fig. (3.

rl'hus, the entire plate will be. cast, finished and deliycred without any manual operation,

and the finishing;1 mechanism is kept in substantially constant operation.

lt will be seen that the pumpingl mecha-` nism, the matrix manipulating mechanism and the coolingl mechanism are actuated entirely from the shaft 31, so that two plates will be, Aproduced for each completeA revolution of said shaft frll.

'llhe' remaining` mechanisms are driven either from the shaft 30 or the shaft TG.

Yllhe gearinpY for driving the shaft 30, and from the shaft 30 the shaft 31 may be arranged as followsz--QG designates a power shaft 30, and by this means, the shaft 30 will be driven. On the end of the shaft 31 is keyed a section 32 ofa single-tooth clutch,

and on the adjacent end of the shaft 30 is keyed the other section S21 of said clutch, which latter section may be moved forward and backward on' the shaft- 30, a spring being provided to keep the samenormally in position with the section 32. A. yoke 34 engages the movable section 321, which yoke is mounted on a shaft 35 on the end of which shaft is arranged a suitable operating lever 117, by which the operator can start the. shaft'l land the mechanisms driven thereby into operation. I may arrange with this handle an automatic stopping mechanism, which may be timed so that, after 4a desired number of plates have been cast, the shaft Pil will be stopped. To `fdo this, I arrange on the shaft 31 a worm-112, which meshes with a worm-wheel 113 secured on a short transverse shaft, on the outer end o ty which is arranged a disk U. A number of holes `are formed inthe disk U and ay pin T may be placed inproper position in said holes. This pin is so aranged that, when the (lesired number of plates have been cast, the same will strike on the handle 117, or rather, on an arm projecting' therefrom, and will vthus disconnect the clutch as is morefully illustrated in my patent referred te.- Thus, by the means before described, it will be seen that plates will be rapidly cast, finished and delivered.

its the details of the various mechanisms have been so fully described, it is not thought necessary to describe the operation of the machine as a whole.

Obviously my invention may be still further carried out by casting,- more than two plates at a time.

The machine herein shown may be greatly varied by a skilled mechanic without departingY from the broad scope of my invention.v as expressed in` the claims.

Having thusI fully described my invention., what 1 claim and desire to secure by Letters-Patent is 1. A curved stereotype printing` plate eastingr apparatus consisting' of a` core of a. lengt-h substantially equal to twice the width of a stereotype printing,l plate, a ba *k coperatingr therewith. and a partition arranged in the chamber between the back and core.

. 3. The combination of astcreot-ype print-V ing plate casting,` apparatus having parts.

constructed to cast simultaneously two plates, a iin'ishing mechanism geared to operate twice for each casting operation, and conveying means for carryingr the plates through the finishing mechanism.

4f. The combination of a stereotype printing plate casting apparatus having parts constructed to cast a plurality of printing plates at each operation, conveying ymechanism, and edge nishing devices,

. 5. 'Ihe combinationfof a stereotype print'- fing plate casting apparatus having parts constructed to cast a plurality of plates at each operation, conveying mechanism and devices for finishing the back surfaces of the plates. V.

6. The combinationot a stereotype printing plate casting apparatus having' parts. constructed to cast a plurality of plates at,

each operation, conveying mechanism, edgefinishing devices, and devices for finishing the back surfaces of the plates.y

., 7. In stereotype printing plate-making machinery, a casting box, consisting of a core, a back, rims, `and a Aseparating strip acting in connection therewith, forming a number of independent compartments in-the the casting box and carry the said platesin position to 'be acted upon by the finishing l devices.

9. In stereotype printing plate-making machinery, a source of, casting material, constructed to supply simultaneously metal Anaking 'A fora plurality of plates, a casting box, aA

connection between theisupply and the box, finishing devices, a traveler arranged to receive the cast plates from the casting box and carry thesaid plates in position to be acted. upon by the finishing devices, and

means for operating all of the said parts at pre-determined intervals of time.

l0. In stereotype printing plate-making machinery, the combination of a casting box having' parts constructed `to cast two plates sii'nnltaneously and having a core of a length substantially equal to twice the width of the stereotype plate, a segmental back cooperating therewith, means for opening and closing the :casting chamber formed between said core aidi back, means for turning the core to de'. er the plates from the chamber, a plate finishing mechanism, and a conveyer device for conveyingthe plates cast at one operation in the casting chamber through the finishing mechanism.

11. In stereotype printing plate making machinery, the combination'of a casting-box having parts constructed to cast two .plates rsimultanet'msly 4 and having g a .core of ai 'length substantially equall to twice the width of the stereotype plate, a segmental back cooperating therewith, means for. opening and closing the 'casting -chamber formed between said core and back, meansor turning the lcore to deliver the platesffrom the chamber,

a' continuously operating plate `finishing `mechaiiism, and a conveyor device for conveying one plate and then the other platel cast at one operation in the casting chamber through the finishing mechanism.

l2. In vstereotype printing plate-making machinery, the combination of a casting box having a core of a length substantially equal to twice'the width of av stereotype printing plate, a back and partscoperating therewith to form two casting chambers, means for4 opening and closing the casting chambers thus formed, means 'for -turning the coi-e to deliver the two plates from the f castingchainbers, means for separating the plates from the core, a plate finishing inechanism, and aconveyer for moving one plate and then the other plate through the platefinishing mechanism.

" 13. In a stereotype printing plate 'casting apparatus` the combination of .aparts forming a casting box having parts capacitated to cast two stereotype printing. plates simultaneously, a stereotype plate finishingmechanism, a traveler having an ear and two pawls, and means for reciprocating said traveler, whereby one plate and then the.

other plate will be carried through the finishing mechanism.

14. In a stereotype printingpl-ate making apparatus the combination of a casting-box ha ving a core 'of a length substantially equal to twice theA width of a stereotype printing plate, a back andparts coperating therewith to form two casting chambers, means for opening and closing the casting-cham-` bers -thus formed, means for turning the core tol deliver the two plates from the casting chambers, a plate finishing mechanism, a traveler having an ear and two pawls, and means for reciprocating said traveler, wherebyV one plate and then the other -plate will be moved through the inishingmechanism.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses. r.

. H. A. WISE WOOD. Witnessesz- HENRYW. CozzENs, Jr., Louis W. SoU'rHeA'rn.

IOO 

